against those who would steal the treasures they had accumulated. There, they rigged some beds and stored clothes and the bicycles they fixed up and rode around town.

The guys in the basement would often bang on the pipes as a signal to the guys upstairs, to let them know someone was coming. Police or Code Enforcement officers would often wander by to roust those in the building, knowing they'd just return later.

By December 2006, winter had hit. Even inside, it was a struggle to stay warm.

Then, at a garage sale, Reeder came upon a truly precious commodity, worth much more than the metal it was made of: a propane-fueled Coleman space heater.